In the lobby of Forest Grove High School’s athletic center, Scott Korpi, 21, and Jacob Gerdes, 19, rallied their maroon-clad team together, whispering words of encouragement before their final game of the sixth annual Special Olympics Forest Grove Basketball Invitational.

The coaches knew each other at Forest Grove High School.

Two graduating classes apart, Korpi and Gerdes crossed paths through Unified Sports, a program through the Special Olympics in which students with and without disabilities team up to participate in a sports tournament.

On Saturday, the two former players turned first-time coaches hoped their team could end the daylong tournament with a winning record and build friendships along the way.

Roughly 300 coaches, athletes and partners from three counties participated in the Forest Grove Basketball Invitational held at Forest Grove High School on Feb. 1.

The tournament began six years ago, when teams from Hillsboro and Forest Grove hoped to play one another. It started with four teams. It has since expanded to 14 middle and high school teams from six schools across Oregon.

Korpi said he was surprised at how much the Unified Sports program has thrived since he first participated as a sophomore.

Forest Grove Unified Sports Coordinator Jill Hertel said she felt inspired seeing the teams interact, on and off the court.

“It’s amazing to watch the friendships form on the basketball court and extend to other events,” she said. “They go out to eat, play games or catch a movie together. This makes a world of difference for students with and without disabilities.”

As a coach, Korpi said he tries to bring the same encouragement he brought as a player, so that none of his players “feel left out on the court.” He has shifted into a teaching role and said he has seen his team’s growth since they since started practicing late last year.

While Gerdes downplays the notion of rivalries among programs, Korpi said he sees the competitive nature come out in each team, calling the other programs “frenemies.”

Gerdes saw these friendships bloom firsthand. When he played in the games last year, he would see his teammates around school and strike up conversations with them.

“Before you get involved, you see everyone differently,” Gerdes said. “But when you spend time together, you see the unification.”

Gerdes and Korpi watched on as the game drew to a close. After splitting the first two games, Korpi said he hoped the Vikings could end with a winning record.

As the clock inched to zero, a player from the opposing team, the Hillsboro Hybrids, flicked his wrists high in the air to let off a shot as the buzzer rang.

The ball swished cleanly through the hoop. The crowd roared.

The final score was 54-32. The Vikings won. But the game ended on a high note for both sides.

For the two coaches, the final score didn't matter.

“It’s not about winning,” Gerdes said. “We’re just here to have fun. We’re going out there to play hard. We’re all the same, no matter our ethnicity or if we have a disability.”